England ended South Africa’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive Women’s T20 World Cup final with a 40-run victory in the second semi-final of the tournament at the Kennington Oval. Superb batting from England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and former captain Heather Knight, followed by disciplined bowling and outstanding fielding, helped the hosts book their place in the final.
South Africa won the toss and opted to field first. Given that the previous two matches at the venue in this tournament had both been won by the team batting second, it appeared to be the right decision. They also made an excellent start, with the Marizanne Kapp-Shabnim Ismail duo reducing England to 23/3.
However, Sciver-Brunt, returning after missing the previous three matches with a calf injury, began the rebuilding job alongside Knight. The experienced pair produced a batting masterclass, timing the ball beautifully, finding the gaps consistently and running superbly between the wickets.
They added 133 runs for the fourth wicket, with Sciver-Brunt scoring 75 off 47 balls and Knight contributing 58 off 47. It became the highest partnership for any wicket in a Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final. Sciver-Brunt also registered her eighth half-century in the tournament’s history, equalling the record jointly held by Suzie Bates and Beth Mooney.
Nonkululeko Mlaba bowled well and picked up two wickets for South Africa, but Ayabonga Khaka, Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon struggled with their line and lengths. Nadine, in particular, bowled too many short slower deliveries, which England’s batters dispatched comfortably.
In reply, South Africa made a cautious start through a 43-run opening partnership between Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits. However, once the opening stand was broken, they lost wickets at regular intervals and failed to build any significant partnerships.
England’s bowling attack of Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone and Freya Kemp maintained excellent discipline throughout the innings. Kemp was particularly impressive during her three-over spell, using her slower balls effectively and making the most of the angle against the right-handed South African batters.
England’s fielding also played a crucial role in the victory. Along with saving valuable runs through sharp ground fielding and diving stops, Ecclestone pulled off some outstanding catches, taking chances that looked exceptionally difficult.
The surface appeared to slow slightly as the match progressed, and England’s bowlers exploited the conditions expertly. South Africa’s batters struggled to time the ball consistently and eventually fell 40 runs short.
Sciver-Brunt was deservedly named Player of the Match. England will now face unbeaten Australia in the final at Lord’s on July 5, setting up a blockbuster contest between the tournament’s two unbeaten sides.
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